Translation of Cheiroballistra
= Introduction = The original Cheiroballistra text is copied from Wescher (1867), primarily because it's available in public domain and clean of any copyright issues modern texts have (e.g. Marsden 1971; Wilkins 1995). The translation is split into chapters, each of which starts with the Greek original text, followed by the translation and by notes (if any). The Greek text follow's Wescher's line and page numbering. Translating of Greek singular and plural 3rd person imperatives to English is quite tricky, because English lacks the corresponding verb forms. The manuscript is clearly giving orders to either a single person (perhaps the engineer or the master craftsman), or to multiple people (probably craftsmen). I've tried to convey the same basic idea by using phrases such as "they shall something" or "something shall be done". As this translation is licensed under a Creative Commons license and you are free to improve it. Please discuss any changes on the talk page first, though. = Case, slider and crescent-shaped piece = W123 ΗΡΩΝΟΣ ΧΕΙΡΟΒΑΛΛΙΣΤΡΑΣ ΚΑΤΑΣΚΕΥΗ ΚΑΙ ΣΥΜΜΕΤΡΙΑ. Γεγονέτωσαν κανόνες δύο πελεχινωτοὶ οἱ ΑΒ ΓΔ, ἐν τετρα- γώνοις πελεχίνοις, ὧν θῆλυς μὲν ἔσω(1) ὁ ΑΒ, ἄρρην δὲ ὁ ΓΔ. Καὶ τὸ μὲν μῆκος ἐχέτω ὁ ΑΒ πόδας Γ´ καὶ δαχτύλους Δ´, τὸ δὲ πλάτος δακτύλους ΓC, τὸ δὲ πάχος δακτύλους ΔC. Ὁ δὲ ΓΔ 5 τὸ μῆκος ἐχέτω πόδας Γ´, τὸ δὲ πλάτος ὡς δακτύλους(2) ΒC´, τὸ δὲ πάχος δάκτυλον Α δ´. W124 Ἐχέτω δὲ τὸ βάθος ὁ σωλὴν τοῦ ΑΒ κανό- νος δάκτυλον Α´· τοῦ δὲ ΑΒ κανόνος(3) ἡ μὲν ΑΖ σεσωληνίσθω(4) οὖσα ποδῶν ΒC δακτύλων ς· λοιπὴ ἄρα ἑστὶν ἡ ΖΒ δακτύλων ς. Ἀπειλήφθω(5) δὲ πάλιν τοῦ ΑΒ κανόνος ἡ ΑΘ ποδὸς Α ἡμί- σεως καὶ δακτύλων Δ· ἡ δὲ ΑΚ ποδὸς Α καὶ δακτύλου Α· λοιπὴ 5 ἄρα ἡ ΚΘ ἔσται δακτύλων Ζ. Ἀπειλήφθω(5) δὲ πάλιν τοῦ ΑΒ χανόνος τοῦ πάχους τῶν ΔC δακτύλων δάκτυλος ΑC, καὶ τετμή- σθω ἕως τῆς ΑΚ καὶ τῆς ΛΘ, ὥστε εἶναι τὁ ΚΘ μέρος τῶν αὐτῶν 8 δακτύλων ΔC, τουτέστι τὴν ΧΨΥΦ. 8 Γεγονέτω δὲ καὶ σεληνοειδές τι σχῆμα τὸ ΗΒ, καὶ τρηθὲν ἐν μέσῳ τετραγώνῳ τρήματι συμφυὲς 10 γεγενήθω τῷ ΛΒ ἄκρῳ τοῦ ΑΒ κανονίου, ὡς τὸ σχῆμα ὑπόκει- W125 ται. Τοῦ δὲ ΓΔ κανόνος(6) ἡ μὲν ΕΔ ἔστω ἄρρην τελεχῖνος, καὶ ἁρμοστὸς γεγονέτω τῷ θήλει πελεχίνῳ τοῦ ΑΒ σωλῆνος τῷ ΑΖ μέρει, τουτέστι τὸ ΔΕ μερος τοῦ ΓΔ κανόνος. HERON'S CHEIROBALLISTRA. CONSTRUCTION AND PROPORTIONS. They shall produce two dovetailed beams, ΑΒ and ΓΔ, with four-sided dovetails, where ΑΒ shall be female and ΓΔ male. And ΑΒ shall be 3 feet and 4 dactyls long, 3½ dactyls wide and 4½ dactyls thick. And ΓΔ shall be 3 feet long, about 2½ dactyls wide and 1¼ dactyls thick. The depth of the channel in beam ΑΒ shall be 1 dactyl. AZ, that is 4½ feet 6 dactyls, shall be channeled out(4); then of course ΖΒ, 6 dactyls, is left. Again, part ΑΘ, 1½ feet and 4 dactyls, shall be removed(5) from beam ΑΒ; thus ΑΚ is 1 foot 1 dactyl and ΚΘ, naturally 7 dactyls, is left. Again, 1½ dactyls shall be removed(5) from the original thickness of 4½ dactyls of beam ΑΒ, up to(6) ΑΚ and ΛΘ, so as to make the part ΚΘ, that is to say ΧΨΥΦ, 4½ dactyls thick. A crescent-shaped piece shall be made, which has the form of ΗΒ, and has in the middle a rectangular hole, and shall be made one with beam ΑΒ at its farthest point, ΛΒ, as shown below. Part ΕΔ of beam ΓΔ shall be the male dovetail, and shall be made to fit well with the female dovetailed part ΑΖ of beam ΑΒ, that is to say part ΔΕ of beam ΓΔ. Comments # Marsden (1971) corrected ἔσω to ἔστω (3rd sg imp of εἰμί), which is reasonable. # Missing/implied δακτύλους added by Wescher (1867: 123). # Missing/implied κανόνος added by Wescher (1867: 124). # I could not find proper definition for σεσωληνίσθω, but it is clearly based on noun σωλήν, which means "a channel". The verb has been translated as "channel out" by both Marsden (1971: 213) and Wilkins (1995: 10), and I see no reason to interpret it in any other way. # The Ἀπειλήφθω was translated as "remove" by Marsden (1971: 213) and "mark off" by Wilkins (1995: 10). I could not find the base form from the dictionaries I had at my disposal. # Missing/implied κανόνος added by Wescher (1867: 125). = Triggering mechanism = Νῦν δὴ τὰ περὶ τῆς κλείσεως ἐκθησόμεθα. Γεγοέτω ἐξ ὕλης 5 σιδηρᾶς(1) χειρολάβη ἡ ΑΒΓΔ, τῷ σχήματι οἵα ὑπογέγραπται. W126 Δίχηλον δὲ τὸ ΕΖ μέρος ἔχων ὁ ΕΖΗΘ τόρμος ἔστω τετρὰγω- νος· σχαστηρία δὲ ΚΛΜ· δρακόνπον δὲ τὸ ΝΞ· πιττάριον δὲ τὸ ΟΠΡΣ. Καὶ τετρήθω ἡ ΑΒΓΔ χειρολάβη κατὰ τὸ Δ· ὁ δὲ ΕΔ κανὼν ὁ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ θεωρήματι τετρήθω κατὰ ΜΝΞ, 5 καἱ κατὰ μὲν τὰ ΜΝ στρογγυλῳ τρήματι διαμπερὲς, κατὰ δὲ τὸ Ξ παραλληλογράμμῳ· καὶ οὕτως ἐνηρμόσθω ἡ χειρολάβη, ὥστε περόνην διὰ τῆς ΜΝ διωσθῆναι καὶ διὰ τοῦ Δ τρήματος τῆς χει- ρολάβης κοινωθῆναι. Τρήσαντες δὲ τὸ ΕΘ δίχηλον κατὰ τὰ ΤΥ καὶ τὴν ΚΛΜ σχαστηρίαν κατὰ τὸ Φ, καὶ ἐμβαλὸντες περόνην 10 δι´ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ὀπῶν τῶν ΤΥΦ, κοινοῦμεν, ὥστε περὶ αὐτὴν κινεϊσθαι τὴν ΛΜ ἔχουσαν κατὰ μῆχος δάκτυλον ἕνα. Λαβόντες(4) οὖν W127 τὴν ΔΟ ἐπὶ τοῦ ΓΔ κανόνος δακτύλων Ε, καὶ τρήσαντες κατὰ τὸ Ο, καθίεμεν τὸ ΕΘ δίχηλοω καὶ κοινῦμεν, ὧστε ἀκίνητονα διαμένειν. ἔπειτα τρήσαντες τὸ ΝΞ δρακόντιον κατὰ τὸ Ν, καὶ τὸν ΓΔ κανόνα κατὰ τὸ Π (τὸν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ θεωρήματι) ἀπέχον τοῦ Μ 5 δακτύλους Δ, καὶ καθέντης(5) διά τε τοῦ τρήματος τοῦ δρακοντιοῦ(6) καὶ τοῦ Π περονην, κοινοῦμην, ὥστε εὐχερῶς κινεῖσθαι τὸ ΝΞ δρακόν- τιον περἱ αυτήν. Καὶ πάλιν ἀποστήσαντες ἀπὁ τῆς χειρολάβης τῆς ΑΒΓΔ τὴν ΞΡ, τιτρῶμεν κατὰ τὸ Ρ, καὶ πάλιν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ πετρήσαντες δακτύλους ΔC ὡς τὴν ΠΣ, τιτρῶμεν κατὰ τὸ Σ, W128 καὶ οὗτως καθὶεμεν ἐν τῷ ΓΔ κανόνι, ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ θεωρήματι. Ἑξῆς κεῖται. Now we shall describe things related to the triggering mechanism. Handle ΑΒΓΔ shall be made of wood as strong as iron(1), and of form such as has been drawn below. There is the two-pronged component ΕΖ, and the tenon ΕΖΗΘ shall be rectangular. The release mechanism is ΚΛΜ. The little dragon is ΝΞ. The pittarion is ΟΠΡΣ. And the handle ΑΒΓΔ has been perforated(2) at Δ. The beam ΕΔ described earlier has been perforated(2) at ΜΝΞ Comments # The word ὕλης (genetive of ὕλη) in "ἐξ ὕλης σιδηρᾶς" has been effectively ignored by most scholars. There are several variants of this part; According to Schneider (1906: 150) manuscript V says "ἐχ ξύλης" here, and P says "ἐχ ξυλώσης". Prou (1877: 20) mentions another reading variant, "ἐχ ξύλῳ". In any case, in this context "ὕλη" or the variants can only mean "wood as a material" or "material" in general. Depending on the dictionary one looks at, the latter, more generic usage is said to be rare. Regardless, all scholars seem to have universally accepted the "material in general" interpretation, usually without leaving any trace of "ὕλη" in their translations (e.g. Prou: 1877: 20; Marsden 1971: 213; Wilkins 1995: 14). Schneider's translation, "aus eisenmaterial" ("of iron material") is the best in this regard. Wilkins (1995: 16) kindly notes that the material for a component is only mentioned thrice in the cheiroballistra manuscript, the two other cases being the bronze cylinders ("κύλινδροι χαλκοῖ κοῦφοι") and the iron bars ("σιδηροῦς κανόνας"). As can be seen, in neither of these cases does the word ὕλη show up. A quick look at Heron's Belopoeica also reveals the lack of use of ὕλη: "στήματα ὀρθὰ σιδηρᾶ δύο" ("two vertical iron stanchions", M 76), "σιδηροῦς δάκτυλος" ("iron finger", M 76), "ἐποίουν δὲ αῦτὰς σιδηρᾶς" ("they made these of iron", M 83), "περόνη σιδηρᾶ" ("iron pin", M 89) and "λεπίδας σιδηρᾶς" ("iron plates", M 102). Why not just use this much simpler wording here also, and skip the "iron material" nonsense? In this light my methaphorical translation, "wood as strong as iron", seems quite possible, and it completely changes the nature of the handle, limiting its uses and ruling out, for example, its use as attachment point for the winch. # The word τετρήθω looks like a perfect imperative. Whether it means boring or perforating is not clear. If someone can define the exact form the word please do - the meaning of the sentence is clear enough as is. # In Schneider (1907) and Marsden (1967) "Λαβόντες" is written as "ἀπολαβόντες" # In Schneider (1907) this word is written as "καθιέντης" # In Schneider (1907) and Marsden (1967) "δρακοντιοῦ" is written as "δρακοντιον" = Field-frames = Κατεσκενάσθωσαν δὲ καὶ τὰ καλοίμενα καμβέστρια τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. Ποιήσαντες γὰρ σιδηροῦς κανόνας τέσσαρας, μῆκος ἔκον- 5 τας ἑκάτερον δακτύλουν ΙC, πλάτος δὲ δακτύλου διμοίρου μι- κρῶ πλείω, πάχος δὲ ὥστε μὴ εὐχερῶς κὰμπθεσται. Ἐστωσαν δὲ οἱ ΑΒ ΓΔ ΕΖ ΗΞ, οἷοί εἰσι τῷ σχήματι καταγεγραμμένοι, ἔχοντες συμφυεῖς κρίκους τούς ΚΛ ΜΝ ΞΟ ΠΡ, τὸ εὖρος ἔχοντας δακτύλους δύο, τὸ δὲ πλάτος δάκτυλον ἔνα, τὸ δὲ πάχος W129 τὸ αὐτὸ τοῖς κανονίοις. Ἔστω δὲ τὸ μεταξὺ διάστημα τῶν κανόνων δακτύλων ΓC. Γεγονέτωσαν δὲ καὶ πιττάρια τὰ ΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ,Α συμφυῆ τοῖς ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘ κανονίοις, ἔχοντα πλάτος καὶ πά- χος τὸ αὐτὸ τοὶς κανονίοις, τὸ δὲ εὖρος δακτύλου δίμοιρον. Ἔστω- 5 σαν δὲ καὶ κύλινδροι χαλκοῖ κοῦφοι ὁι ,Β,Γ ,Δ,Ε ,Ϝ(1),Ζ ,Η,Θ, μῆχος ἔχων ἕχαστος δακτύλως δύο, πάχος δὲ ἴσον τῶν κανονίῶν, τὴν δὲ διάμετρον τοῦ ἔυρους δακτύλου Α καὶ γ'. Comments (1) This letter seems to be a digamma/stigma (ϛ) = Arms = W133 Πεποιήθωσαν δὲ καὶ κωνοειδῆ δύο τὰ ΑΒΓΔ ΕΖΗΘ, ἔχον μὲν ἑκατερον μῆκος δακτύλων ΙΑ. Τὸ δὲ πάχος τῶν ΑΒ ΕΖ κορυφῶν ἑκάσου κωνοειδοῦς ἐχέτω δακτύλου τὸ ἥμισυ, τὸ δὲ τῆς βάσεως πάχος ἑκάστου τῶν ΓΔ ΗΘ δακτύλου ἑνός(1). Ἐχέτωσαν 5 δὲ κατὰ μῆκος σωλῆνας τετραγώνους(2) καὶ τόρμους(3) ἐν ταῖς ΑΒ ΕΖ κορυφαῖς, ὥστε κανονίων γενομένων συμφυῶν κρίκοις, ἁρμο- σῶν τοῖς τόρμοις καὶ τοῖς σωλῆσιν, έκκομίζεσθαι ἐπι τῶν σω- λήνων καὶ τῶν τόρμων ἐν τοῖς κωνοειδέσι γεγονόσιν. Ἔσωσαν δὲ τὰ μὲν κανόνια συμφυῆ τοῖς κρίκοις τὰ ΚΛΜΝ ΞΟΠΡ, W134 κρίκοι δὲ ὁι ΚΛ ΞΟ· ἀνακαμπὰς δὲ ἐχέτωσαν τὰ κανόνια πρὸς τοῖς πέρασι τὰς ΜΝ ΠΡ, ὕψος δἑ ἐχούσας δακτύλου τὸ ἥμισυ..... Make two cones, ΑΒΓΔ ΕΖΗΘ, each having length of 11 dactyls. Thickness of the cones at each of the ends ΑΒ ΕΖ should be half dactyls, and thickness at ΓΔ ΗΘ should be one dactyl. Make square(2) channels along their length, as well as sockets(3) to their ends ΑΒ ΕΖ, so that bars can be made united with hoops and joined together with the socket and the channel; these bars can be removed from the channels and the sockets in the cones that have been made. The bars united with the hoops are ΚΛΜΝ ΞΟΠΡ and the hoops are ΚΛ ΞΟ: also make hooks in the ends of the bars at ΜΝ ΠΡ, their height being half of a dactyl. # LSJ gives "square" as the most common translation for τετραγώνως. However, it can mean anything with four angles. In one manuscript diagram the channel looks dovetailed. However, as Iriarte (2000: 59) points out, if P.H. had intended to mean that the channel was a dovetail, he could have used a more appropriate word, such as the one he used when describing the case and the slider: πελεκινοειδής. # The exact meaning of τόρμος is a little unclear. Both LSJ and Middle Liddell give a very generic meaning: "any hole or socket, in which a pin or peg is stuck". Category:Translation Category:Backup Category:Cheiroballistra Category:Historical research